What are you good at?

You think you want to become a consultant, but you’re not sure what direction to take. A good starting-point is to do a personal inventory for yourself. This involves taking stock of your unique skills, attributes and experiences. (Refer to Discover Your Inner Consultant for help in carrying out an inventory.) You probably have a good idea of your skills and abilities, both personally and professionally.

But you may not know it all – you are only looking at yourself from your point of view. Other people in your life, especially those you live or work closely with, may have a better idea of your talents than you do.

Six tips for self discovery

Ask your friends and family: What do they think your best skills and abilities are? You might be surprised at what you hear.

Listen to compliments: Really listen; don’t automatically disregard them. What are people telling you? Try taking notes, even if it just means jotting things down in a diary or Word doc.

List ‘easy’ tasks: The tasks you find easy are a good indicator of where your strengths lie. Can you build on these?

Notice your feelings: What do you really enjoy doing? What would you love to learn? Make a list of what challenges you and what bores you. Notice any patterns?

Ask your boss and co-workers: Those who work with you should have a good grasp of your strengths and weaknesses.

Ask your teachers and classmates: Here is a group of people that you’ve likely spent years with; who better to ask what qualities they noticed and admired about you?

Don’t be shy; only by asking directly will you discover your potential in becoming a consultant. Listen to what people are telling you – they are a valuable resource that you should not overlook.